| Transcript | I enclose envelope to save you trouble
The Willows,
Orchard Road,
Great Malvern
Septr. 24th 1923
My dear Canon
Thank you so much for your letter, telling me about your sister. You have all been much in my thoughts and I hope that you and Mrs. Evans have been helped through the long sad strain of this summer. You know how closely I have been with you in spirit - and I doubt if a day passes without my thoughts turning towards you as memories of my happy 8 1/2 years in Warwickshire rise before me. In one sense, you are visibly before me, daily, in that long catalogue of persons and places in the "George Eliot" Dictionary which I am steadily revising, at the compilers' request. I have nearly finished my share in the work, but there are a few points about which I should be most grateful for your help, if you can spare time to give it. For your convenience, I will write out the questions in columns, leaving spaces for whatever you can most kindly send, in the way of answers. I am thankful that this Dictionary is forthcoming- George Eliot as you know, has been my favourite novelist and beloved companion for nearly, (will you believe it?) 40 years, ever since I was given a copy of Middlemarch in 1884 - so I am one who rejoices at the study which her writings attract.
I have been asked to hold the Higher Education classes in English Literature under the County Council for Malvern, for this coming term, and the next, till Easter - and have chqsen my subject,a detailed examination of each of George Eliot's novels and poems, up till Christmas:- and afterwards, the longer poems of Wordsworth (i.e. "Prelude" and "Excursion", with perhaps a few others).
And, as I know you take a very kind, almost Fatherly interest in me, I will tell you what not many know, that I have been asked to preach in Westminster Abbey - though it will indeed be an ordeal!
However, I hope to be helped in this and all else - for what can we do, alone?
With our kindest remembrances and love to you both, and hoping that you are keeping up well, and that you and Mrs. Evans may get some little restful change, away together, somewhere, before Winter sets in,
Ever cordially yours
Hubert H. M. Bartlett
P.S. I have had a most interesting correspondence, as to the prototye of "Lydgate" in Middlemarch- Did I tell you of this - and of the famous man who admits that he may have been in some respects in George Eliot's mind, when she described Lydgate? Have you seen all Miss Mudge's notes on the G.E. characters & places? She ought to submit something to you, before it goes to the press. There are various family statements. |